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O’Gara Group has fired the two United Kingdom employees who were arrested in Las Vegas on Jan. 19 for allegedly bribing an official of a foreign government in order to obtain business.
O’Gara employees David Painter and Lee Wares were among the 22 weapons and military equipment dealers attending a shooting and hunting trade show in Las Vegas when the FBI moved in. O’Gara Group has since terminated the two employees who were associated with the United Kingdom subsidiary known as Security Support Solutions.
O’Gara Group’s discharge of Painter and Wares is reminiscent of last year’s treatment of Ronald P. Boline, the O’Gara Group Tactical Operations Branch Manager engaged in development of a training facility in Westmoreland County. On Jan. 6, 2009, Boline lost control of his motor vehicle and was charged with driving under the influence. The charge did not stand, but O’Gara terminated Boline’s employment shortly after the arrest.
According to the available information, an FBI agent posed as an official from an African government and the two O’Gara officials took the bait in hopes of consummating a $15 million sale of armored vehicles and night-vision equipment produced by The O’Gara Group.
Painter and Wares are accused of engaging in bribery. It’s alleged that they paid the undercover agent a $12,183 commission in order to move the transaction forward. O’Gara Group is cooperating with federal investigators.
— Betsy Ficklin
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